New report on carers in Tas

Health Minister, Lara Giddings, has released a new report examining the profile of carers in Tasmania, which will help the Tasmanian government better understand the needs of carers and the future demand for them.

“This report will be helpful in giving the state and Federal Governments concrete data on the future demand for carers in Tasmania and the value of the care they provide,” Ms Giddings said.

“The role of carers in our society should never be underestimated, they provide vital support and assistance to thousands of Tasmanians.

“Becoming a carer is rarely planned and it is often an emotional experience which involves caring for a loved one who has deteriorated due to ill health or age.

“The report commissioned by Carers Tasmania finds that nationally, carers are significantly worse off than the general population in terms of income, health, employment and social interaction.

“An important statistic for Tasmania is that 14.8% of the population is estimated to be carers, above the national level.

“While there are obvious costs associated with these carers not being actively involved in the workforce, the report found that the cost of employing professional carers to undertake the work done by informal carers would be over $1.2 billion,” she said.

The report also found that as Tasmania’s population ages, demand for informal care will increase rapidly and overtake the supply of carers available.

Ms Giddings said that the Tasmanian government would be examining the report’s recommendations in detail to ensure it better informs planning for carer support in the future.

“This report is extremely valuable and will help planners and the general community better understand the lives and experiences of carers across the country,” said Ms Giddings.